


Benefits of Mercy

by anesor



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle of Coruscant AU, Gen, awful jokes, snarking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28147485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anesor/pseuds/anesor
Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan race back to help defend Anakin's friend from Dooku's attacking fleet.Someone forgot to send memos.
Relationships: Dooku & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40
Collections: Shadows of the Clone Wars (NaNo2020 short stories)





	Benefits of Mercy

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Seduction of Anakin Skywalker](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18374633) by [DontCallMeShirley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DontCallMeShirley/pseuds/DontCallMeShirley). 



Anakin’s attack force  raced back to Coruscant  and the active battle over the  Republic's capital. The flight felt like it had taken forever, and Anakin’s heart had been in this throat with worry for his wife and his old friend,  so vulnerable to Dooku and his fleet.

Battle had renewed part of the strains between Anakin and his former Master.  Lately, Anakin’s favorite battle-partner seemed very sympathetic to Anakin’s absences to meet with Padmé. Maybe after this, Anakin might get the nerve up to tell him  about their relationship. Padmé said she wanted to have  Obi-Wan over for a quiet  family  dinner--  before their daughter ended that quiet.

Or son, Anakin didn’t really care about a son or daughter, as long as they were all healthy afterwards.

His destroyer closed from its Jump point, further out than he really wanted. He and Obi-Wan waited outside their interceptors, killing time until they closed and minutes seemed like hours. Obi-Wan stood between their ships, arms crossed in a near meditation on his feet.

Anakin paced.

Cody marched up, determination in his step. “Generals, the Captain and I would feel much better about you going in after Dooku, if you would wear some armor.”

General Kenobi opened his eyes. “We will be leaping and spinning, we will need that flexability more against Dooku than simple droids of sieges...”

Anakin flashed back to all Obi-Wan’s combat injuries over the years, especially against this traitor to their lineage family. “He’s right, Master. Dooku likes throwing us around, even as far back as Geonosis. You’d better wear armor.”

The older Jedi got a glint in his eye. “I will, if you will, Padawan. I still have all my original equipment...”

Anakin could hear a muffled snort from Rex. This was the best way to get Obi-Wan in armor, but he pretended to fume as he filled another few minutes  after donning more armor and a partial helmet. It would protect his curls for Padmé, too, and he grinned.

“I am so relieved you will be safer the next time Dooku bounces you on your head.”  Obi-Wan's eyes gleamed.”

“Three minutes to combat zone. Launch in thirty...” The attack fleet coordinator announced on the public channel, echoing through the hanger bay.

Leaping up into his interceptor, Anakin felt a fierce joy to be plunging into action. Launched and outside the warship now, he scanned his HUD to see if there had been any real changes in the last few minutes. No, the _Invisible Hand_ was still crushing orbital defenses at will.

But now the Team and their battle tested troops had arrived, and Anakin let out a whoop.

He was still close enough to feel Obi-Wan’s amusement.

Fighting through the defenses was not that difficult this many battles in. Obi-Wan and he spiraled and spun, blowing a hole in the defenses. The enemy hanger had taken blast damage and Anakin dove to land inside, Obi-Wan remained combat linked mentally with Anakin as they landed.

No words were really needed between them, only determination and intent.

Enough damage had already dominoed through the huge ship, that lights were dimmed and red alerts lit their boots as they fought their way forward.

“Don’t like the color scheme,” Anakin  mocked.

“Red light does make old Sith look ghastly. He really should have seen a stylist when choosing lighting. So uncivilized...”

They reached a control room, where the Count threatened the seated Chancellor. As typical, Anakin launched himself forward to intercede any attack on the old man, who appeared terrified. 

“I knew you would come to rescue me, my boy.” Palpatine smiled with triumph.

“Sith lords are our specialty.” Obi-Wan spun his saber, making bright afterimages of wings for himself.

“Some specialty,” Dooku barked a laugh. “I am the one who has emerged unscathed from our meetings.”

Anakin grinned, “Some great power of the Dark if such weak Jedi keep messing with you this often. Or are you fading from age already?”

Dooku roared at that and attacked. While Anakin pushed the Sith away from Palpatine, battle droids started firing at both Jedi. The Jedi defenses were seamless,  though the droids grazed the squawking politician.

By the time Obi-Wan had taken care of the droids, Anakin had the Sith back against a rail. Dooku swept Obi-Wan off the upper level and into the bulkhead.

Seeing red, Anakin doubled his attacks and took away the red saber after removing the old man’s hands. He got the Sith into a corner and crossed the blades in front of Dooku’s neck. “Surrender, Grandmaster, your madness is over.”

“Never...” The Sith seemed in shock at his loss. 

Probably blood loss.

"Kill him,  my boy. ” The Chancellor’s voice got more militant than frightened. “He’s too big a risk  for escaping.”

Anakin almost looked at him. “That’s not the Jedi way.”

“Very good, Padawan. I believe he will have trouble with lightning and choking without hands.” Obi-Wan’s eyes were a little glassy but he bowed briefly to the Chancellor. “We should go now, sir.”

The politician looked angry.

Anakin wanted to cheer his friend up. “Look at it this way, both his hands are invisible now, sir. The war is over...”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is another of the short stories that were written for the NaNo 2020 challenge.  
> \---  
> Star Wars is the property of Lucas and Disney. I do not intend any infringement and make no profit from the story.


End file.
